Daniel Pink - This Thursday at the Virginia Beach Convention Center 6-8 PM.
Internet Safety Poster Contest
Principals will receive their Memo on Thursday, December 4th. You can start reviewing the rules and regulations now, however please do not hand out any information until you have talked to your principals yet. The official start date of the contest is Thursday, December 4th.
Digital Communication can be defined as the electronic exchange of information. To better understand this concept, watch the following clip
Discussion Questions:
What types of communication tools/technologies do you use?
What are the advantages of using these tools? Disadvantages?
Do you think digital communication brings us closer together or isolates us?
Part II: At Home--Interaction
Communication today includes cell phones, internet phones (VoIP), instant messaging (IM), text messaging, video conferencing, email, and a host of other technologies. Although these tools are readily available, do we really need to be in contact with other people all the time? Do we understand what is appropriate when using these digital communication devices?
Home Discussion Questions:
How realistic is the scenario in the video? Do you and/or your friends ever rely too much on digital tools when face-to-face communication might be more appropriate?
How do you feel about the "wired world" we inhabit? Has technology improved or hindered our ability to communicate?
What digital communication guidelines do you think are reasonable?
Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a USER GENERATED journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site. The entries (or Posts) are often displayed in chronological order.
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.
Blogs can also contain links to other sites, images, movies, podcasts, and so on. Sometimes you can embed the movies (i.e.. from teachertube.com) directly into your blog (meaning it shows up as part of your page and not a link to another page) other times you just provide links to other sites that contain the content (which is better in terms of your storage quota).
Many blogs focus on a particular topic, such as web design, home staging, sports, or mobile technology. Some are more eclectic, presenting links to all types of other sites. And others are more like personal journals, presenting the author's daily life and thoughts.
Generally speaking (although there are exceptions), blogs tend to have a few things in common:
A main content area with articles listed chronologically, newest on top. Often, the articles are organized into categories.
An archive of older articles.
A way for people to leave comments about the articles.
A list of links to other related sites, sometimes called a "blogroll".
Pre- Cal 20S a math blog in which the teacher shares slides of daily lessons and also students take turns as "scribes" summarizing daily lessons (Blogger)
Salute to Seuss
Each participating class (grades preK - 6, from throughout the US and world) chose one or more of Dr. Seuss's books and created either a webpage, a wiki, a blog, a presentation, a bubble share, etc about their book. The project began in August of 2007 and concluded in December of 2007.
Regions of Virginia
This project is open to Fourth Grade classrooms across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The goal is to help students learn about the state of Virginia from each other.
The Flat Classroom Project is a global, hands-on collaborative project for middle and senior high school students based on the concepts in the book by Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat.
When you sign up for an account, be sure to identify yourself as a K-12 educator by using the above link (Wikispaces for Teachers). This will make you eligible for a wiki without advertisements. If you happen to sign up for your wiki on the regular wikispaces page, click on "Subscription" under "Manage Space" and request a complimentary upgrade to Plus for K-12 education.
There's an easy way to create accounts for students - even if they don't have email addresses!
Email help@wikispaces.com with a list of usernames, email addresses (if you have them - if you don't just leave them out), and passwords in the following format and request to have the student accounts created.
A few important notes that will help wikispaces.com create student accounts for you quickly:
Usernames
A large number of accounts already exist on wikispaces.com, so many combinations of first names, last names, and initials are already taken. It's much more likely that they can make all the accounts you request if you add a school identifier to the students' usernames. For example, if your school is called Alanton Elementary School, instead of requesting for the usernames, adam, james, and dom, we recommend aes-adam, aes-james, and aes-dom.
Length of Usernames and Passwords
Please make sure that usernames are at least 3 characters long (we allow letters, numbers, underscores _, or dashes -) and that passwords are at least 6 characters long.
Which Space?
Finally, make sure to let wikispaces.com know to which wikis you'd like the students added as members.
December 2008 ETT Meeting
Reminder!
Daniel Pink - This Thursday at the Virginia Beach Convention Center 6-8 PM.
Internet Safety Poster Contest
Principals will receive their Memo on Thursday, December 4th. You can start reviewing the rules and regulations now, however please do not hand out any information until you have talked to your principals yet. The official start date of the contest is Thursday, December 4th.New Laptop on the What to Buy list. Only $450.00
Edublogs - VBCPS http://blogs.vbschools.com (104 Blogs to date - Join on the ETT Site)
Digital Citizenship
Digital Communication can be defined as the electronic exchange of information. To better understand this concept, watch the following clipDiscussion Questions:
Part II: At Home--Interaction
Communication today includes cell phones, internet phones (VoIP), instant messaging (IM), text messaging, video conferencing, email, and a host of other technologies. Although these tools are readily available, do we really need to be in contact with other people all the time? Do we understand what is appropriate when using these digital communication devices?
Home Discussion Questions:
Blogs
What is a Blog?
Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a USER GENERATED journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. Blogs generally represent the personality of the author or the Web site. The entries (or Posts) are often displayed in chronological order.
A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is "blogging" and someone who keeps a blog is a "blogger." Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.
Blogs can also contain links to other sites, images, movies, podcasts, and so on. Sometimes you can embed the movies (i.e.. from teachertube.com) directly into your blog (meaning it shows up as part of your page and not a link to another page) other times you just provide links to other sites that contain the content (which is better in terms of your storage quota).
Many blogs focus on a particular topic, such as web design, home staging, sports, or mobile technology. Some are more eclectic, presenting links to all types of other sites. And others are more like personal journals, presenting the author's daily life and thoughts.
Generally speaking (although there are exceptions), blogs tend to have a few things in common:
Rationale for Using Blogs in Education
Blogging As an Educational Tool
Sample Instructional Blogs
- Mrs. Cassidy's Classroom Blog 1st grade class blog from Canada (ClassBlogmeister)
- A Duck with a Blog school-wide elementary blog (Edublogs)
- Ms. Boyd's Grade 2/3 Blog class blog for sharing student work from New Zealand (Blogger)
- Ms. Boyd's Writing Blogclass writing blog from New Zealand (Blogger)
- Mrs. Watt's 4th Grade Computer Class Blog notice the use of categories
- Ms. Fullerton's 5th Grade Class Blog (ClassBlogmeister)
- Mr. Klein's 5th Grade Blog students take turns summarizing the day's activities (EduBlogs)
- Room5@Work Mr. Baker's 5th grade class blog--notice the blog rules
- Mrs. Markwart Grade 6/7 Class Blog teamed up with another class (ClassBlogmeister)
- Mr. Fisher's Class Blog check out colonization blogs (EduBlogs)
- Guerrilla Season Book Blog 8th grade book discussion blog with interaction from author (Blogger)
- Ms. Winze's Orchestra Blog middle school orchestra teacher's blog (EduBlogs)
- Ms. Martinos' Algebra Class Blog discussion of word problems (EduBlogs)
- Kakos Grade 10 English Blog use blog to develop thesis statements (Blogger)
- Mrs. Hopkins American Literature Class Blog students take on character role in blog throughout course (21Classes)
- 12th Grade Class Blog (21Classes)
- Student's Senior Thesis Blog Every student has a blog to chronicle the development of senior thesis (Blogger)
- Novel Discussion Blog Their Eyes Were Watching God Novel Discussion in groups (LearnerBlogs)
- Hamlet Character Blogs check out the ghost under group 4 (LearnerBlogs)
- Pre- Cal 20S a math blog in which the teacher shares slides of daily lessons and also students take turns as "scribes" summarizing daily lessons (Blogger)
VBCPS User Blogs- Kempsville Middle School Blog
- Northern Ireland Project
- MrMayo's Blog
- Mr. Gibbs Class Blog
- Trantwood ES Blog
- Malkin Class Blog
Educational Technlogy BlogsBlogging Sites
VBCPS Blog Site
VoiceThread
Voice Thead
http://voicethread.com/
Voice Thread Resources
VoiceThreads: Extending the Classroom with Interactive Multimedia Albums
VoiceThread for Education Wiki
Digitally Speaking(wiki with Bill Ferriter's resources)
Examples
Mrs. Heisey's Morning Kindergarten
Trantwood Elementary 5th Grade VA History
Jack's Monster Cards
Student Poems
Many Voices on Darfur
What Do You Value?
German Art Project
Spanish 5 Myths and Legends
Spanish 4 Experiencias
AP Spanish Scary Stories
Grandparents' Day
Color Poems
Lindero Loves Books
Why Do People Hate
Professional Development Examples
VoiceThreads for Education
The Power of Professional Conversations
Wondering about Web 2.0
Wikis
Wikis - Instructional Uses
What is a wiki?
"Wiki" (/wiːkiː/) is originally a Hawaiian word for "fast".
50 Ways To Use Wikis In Education
Articles
Samples of Instructional Wikis
- 2008 Presidential Campaign
- World of Biology
- Salute to Seuss
- Regions of Virginia
- Flat Classroom Project
- Code Blue
Grade 6 students in an international school in Malaysia learn about the human body in order to open their own "online medical clinic.A high school media specialist created this wiki for her students.
Course site for senior biology students.
Each participating class (grades preK - 6, from throughout the US and world) chose one or more of Dr. Seuss's books and created either a webpage, a wiki, a blog, a presentation, a bubble share, etc about their book. The project began in August of 2007 and concluded in December of 2007.
This project is open to Fourth Grade classrooms across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The goal is to help students learn about the state of Virginia from each other.
The Flat Classroom Project is a global, hands-on collaborative project for middle and senior high school students based on the concepts in the book by Thomas Friedman, The World is Flat.
High school sports medicine students create online fitness training programs and sports injury information for the public.
High school math students post their Geometry, Algebra I, and Algebra II unit summaries.
Middle school students work collaboratively to choose topics, complete projects, and publish their work.
Second and third grade students share what they are learning with the world.
First and second grade students collected 1000 names.
Fifth graders identify astronomy terms.
Sixth grade students create an online reference to help other students with their study skills
This wiki is the result of a middle school study of the novel, Holes.
Free Wikis for Educators:
Wikispaces Tips
When you sign up for an account, be sure to identify yourself as a K-12 educator by using the above link (Wikispaces for Teachers). This will make you eligible for a wiki without advertisements. If you happen to sign up for your wiki on the regular wikispaces page, click on "Subscription" under "Manage Space" and request a complimentary upgrade to Plus for K-12 education.There's an easy way to create accounts for students - even if they don't have email addresses!
Email help@wikispaces.com with a list of usernames, email addresses (if you have them - if you don't just leave them out), and passwords in the following format and request to have the student accounts created.
A few important notes that will help wikispaces.com create student accounts for you quickly:
Usernames
A large number of accounts already exist on wikispaces.com, so many combinations of first names, last names, and initials are already taken. It's much more likely that they can make all the accounts you request if you add a school identifier to the students' usernames. For example, if your school is called Alanton Elementary School, instead of requesting for the usernames, adam, james, and dom, we recommend aes-adam, aes-james, and aes-dom.
Length of Usernames and Passwords
Please make sure that usernames are at least 3 characters long (we allow letters, numbers, underscores _, or dashes -) and that passwords are at least 6 characters long.
Which Space?
Finally, make sure to let wikispaces.com know to which wikis you'd like the students added as members.
Wikispaces Video Tutorials